


Argumentative Attraction

by SonicGavel



Category: Law and Order: SVU
Genre: M/M, NOT A BARHOUN FIC!, Raf's a substitute professor at Fordham for a semester, Sexual Tension, Sonny hasn't even worked at SVU, Student/Teacher AU, potential smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-05 16:50:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13392075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicGavel/pseuds/SonicGavel
Summary: Sonny's followed Raf's cases in the past because one of his teachers happens to be Rita. But one day, she announces there'll be a guest-lecturer who'll be filling in for her while she's on a vacation studyng other justice systems around the world. When Sonny finds out it's Raf, he's in awe by how cocky he can be but isn't deterred despite Raf not even giving him the time of day. At one point, he does something that merits Raf to be impressed and he notices him for the first time. Can he keep it up or will the ethical council have something to say if they get caught?





	1. Easy faller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonny gets told he's getting a sub and finds out it's Raf. Unknowongly and easily attracted, all bloodflow goes down soutn and he falls down the stairs to the seats.

Rita had been a professor at Fordham Law in her spare time outside working at her law firm. It wasn't Harvard, but she made it feel like it. Or at least she liked to think she did. She especially loved to tell stories before class started about Rafael, whom she'd known since her Harvard days. She sometimes even relayed what her best friend did in court these days. The stories intrigued even her most astute pupil.

"Dominick Carisi Jr.?" Rita called in roll call.

"Present, Ma'am." Sonny called, not bothering to ask her to call him by his nickname he preferred.

"Mr. Carisi, can I see you after class? I have some news I don't wanna share with everyone just yet." Rita said as Sonny slowly nodded.

Right after, Sonny was right in front of her desk as she told him what was going on.

"You're leaving?" Sonny asked.

"It's a temporary jaunt. I'm going on vacation visiting court systems around the world. It's gonna be a unit I plan to cover when I return." Rita explained, but Sonny was still a little unsure.

"I already have a substitute in place and they're going over everything I've taught as we speak. But not even a student as astute as you is privy to that information until the day I leave." Rita teased, leaving Sonny to wonder.

When Sonny got home, he cooked a frozen dinner, too tired to cook fresh, and started studying. When he finished with both, he started reading articles about Raf and his theatrical stunts he pulls in court. A part of him wanted to know what made him tick. Another part of him just purred whenever he saw a photo of the ADA in those Raybans talking to the press after a case. Soon though, it was getting late and Sonny needed to get some sleep. He was in for a shock though when Rita brought in a special guest.

"Class, I'm sure you're aware of all the stories I've told you about my best college guyfriend, Rafael? Well now you get a confirmation for everything I've told you. Class, this is ADA Rafael Barba." Rita introduced as Rafael came in and the class clapped in anticipation.

"My reputation seems to precede me." Raf said, making everyone giggle a bit. All except Sonny, who was drooling. Here he was, in the flesh. Sonny had thoughts about meeting him and this felt like another one. Sonny raised his hand to get a quick gasp of fresh air, but when Rita allowed it, Sonny fell down the stairs of the seat rows, not realizing his legs suddenly stopped working. Subconsciously, his brain must've realized Raf was that attractive upclose in person and told the bloodstream to "go down stream" so to speak. It didn't take long though for Rita and Raf to run over and make sure he was okay.

"SONNY! Are you alright?" Rita asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Sonny said, trying to keep the sudden erection from being noticed while trying to get up at the same time.

"You gotta be careful. You could've easily broken your neck." Rafael said as he helped Rita hoist the lumbering timberer off the ground.

"Sorry, I don't know what came over my legs. Dominick Carisi Jr., call me Sonny." Sonny said as he shook hands with Rafael.

"Ah yes, Rita told me about you." Raf said, making Sonny blush.

"Really?" Sonny asked.

"She's told me a lot. About how you pay the most attention, how you wanna be a lawyer but you don't know what side you wanna be on yet, and how you never miss a word of my stories." Rafael said.

"It's the stories that really made me a fan, sir. It's truly an honor." Sonny said.

"I'm really glad to know that. Because I'm gonna be subbing while Rita's away. Raf said as Sonny's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. That night, after class, when everyone wished Rita a safe trip, Sonny thought about Raf. Still strained from earlier, he had to take care of that. The student teacher fantasies his classmates had in school were nothing compared to what dirty thoughts started to form as he "relieved" the painful hardness between his legs, thinking about the rape case Raf handled where he put a belt around his own neck to prove a point to the jury, but in the fantasy Sonny constructed, Raf's belt was on Sonny, Raf pulling lightly like Adam Cain did before Raf egged him on to pull even tighter than that, except he wouldn't pull any tighter. Only lightly and only every few minutes as in this fantasy, Raf'd be on top of him. The fantasy lasted an hour before Sonny climaxed and, tired from that use of energy, collaped and went right to sleep.


	2. Reverse favoritism is both flattery and a way to get a Fuck This card

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Raf's first day in class and Sonny keeps raising his hand but Raf chooses people who aren't even raising their hands. Frustrated, Sonny confronts him after class and makes a shocking discovery of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title taken from that scene in "The Office Job" where Sophie and Nate have that fight in front of the cameraman that ends with Nate showing off the card that has "Fuck This" written on the inside.

Sonny decided to sit on a lower level today after yesterday. He was still a little bruised from the fall and thought it would be better to be safe than sorry when in a room with an easily sexy substitute. Once Raf came in, he told everyone to pull out textbooks and started asking questions on the subject. Sonny had already taken notes like two nights prior and was ready to answer. But each time, Raf called someone else. Sonny thought it was a fluke. He tried again, but Raf called someone else. What was going on? It went on like this the whole class period and Sonny was starting to feel discouraged. He decided to talk to Raf after class.

"Uh, Mr. Barba?" Sonny asked when class ended.

"Ah yes. Mr. Carisi, how may I help you?" Raf asked.

"Well I wanted to know why you didn't call on me when I had my hand up." Sonny asked coyly.

"Well I had full confidence you knew everything, but wanted to make sure everyone else knew the material. Just sheer reverse favoritism is all, Carisi. Nothing to be upset about." Rafael said, giving off a cocky air that Sonny never saw in his newspaper pics or media interviews.

"Yeah? Well I remember a very nasty fight from an episode of Leverage that ended up with a card with some particularly nasty words inside it. And it almost broke Nate and Sophie apart." Sonny said, Rafael remembering that episode too. "You watch Leverage?" Raf responded.

"You do too?" Sonny asked as Raf sat back down in his seat.

"Alright, maybe what I did was a bit wrong so how about I buy you a coffee?" Raf asked.

"I would but the College board could fire Professor Calhoun if they were to find out that her fill-in was dating a student." Sonny sighed and finished packing up. See you tomorrow, Sir." Sonny was about to leave when Raf called him in.

"How about then we call each other by our first names?" Raf asked.

"I'd like that, Rafael." Sonny said. The way Raf's name came out of Sonny made him slightly strain as if he started to grow some sort of feelings for the younger student. It sounded like a similar purr that was once on the lips of a boyfriend he previously had until he dumped him for someone else. That thought got instantly thrown out as he said goodnight to Sonny.

Both men found it hard to focus that night. Sonny was studying the case of the private school where those boys were raped, except he and Raf were like the teacher who asked to have sex with at least three students at that school. Raf on the other hand was just thinking about wanting Sonny. The next day was Moot Court and he wished he was the judge. Instead, Buchanan had been brought in and he knew how harsh he could be. The sparring he and Sonny could've done if Rita didn't leave for her vacation so soon.


	3. How do you like divots?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buchanan goes too far while judging Sonny's Moot court, Raf forgoes his reverse favotitism and threatens to bludgeon him. With a gavel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from an episode of Night Court where Mac quits and the staff gets an incompetent clerk who pisses Harry off to the point where he thinks about hitting him with his gavel, asking him the chapter's title.

The next day, tears filled the room. John was attacking each classmate. Raf couldn't wait to report this to Rita, she'd eat him for breakfast because of it. John was biding his time picking one after the other clean like Mark Labett on The Chase. He knew Sonny was the main course and Sonny was making sure he got everything right before going for the gullet himself.

"I represent Evie Barnes, your honor." Sonny started strong, using a case Raf just finished prosecuting. Against John, unfortunately. However, Sonny continued to hold his own. But John still held onto the thought of "How could we believe a girl who specializes in Rape fantasy porn actually WAS being raped?". Sonny actually had proof and showed the difference in emotion. The pleas of help in one of the porn videos she did was hollow compared to the her rapists made of the rape itself, seeing she was crying and begging for them to stop but John still didn't see it. He dismissed the case but then went a step too far for Raf's taste.

"Next time, might I suggest you emulate a better mentor, Mr. Carisi? You're about as incompetent as the substitute filling in over there." Sonny clenched his fists and was about to fight back with his words when Rafael walked over and took the overzealous defense attorney's gavel.

"No one says that about any of my or even RITA'S students, John. Now I'd like you to apologize or so HELP me I'll knock some sense into you using this weapon of Justice as Mjolnir." Raf warned.

"How would you like the Judicial Review Board to hear a report about this?" John asked.

"How would you like Divots?" Raf started swinging the gavel but Sonny pulled him away before he got into any trouble.

"He's not worth it. It's okay, Mr. Barba. He's not worth it." Sonny said. "And as for you, Mr. Buchanan, you're the reason there are far less competent defense attorneys these days so unless you have something far more intelligent to say, I'd recuse myself if I were you for starting something that shouldn't have gotten this ugly." Sonny then left with Rafael to get some fresh air.  
..............................................................  
Later, when the awards were announced, John gave Sonny best oralist. He was impressed with his arguments and also admired how he stood up to him when Raf was about to kill him. Everyone invited Sonny to celebrate. That night, he went and saw that even Raf was there.

"Even subs have to chaperone, Sonny." Raf said. Sonny and he talked all night about everything. About the good job he did, about Raf's fire. It all ended too soon when Sonny bought the next round and Trevor Langan came up to him. Sonny took a card out of kindness, but Raf thought they were flirting. He just left without hesitation and returned to his apartment, crying himself to sleep. He really thought he had something with the younger man.

The next morning, Sonny arrived in class and saw Raf was silent. He wondered why not only this, but also why he left last night when they were having a good time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe some smut in the next chapter.


	4. Jealousy's not your color and neither is stalking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raf can't stand giving Sonny the silent treatment anymore so thinking Sonny's on a date, he jealously storms into Sonny's place and angry smut ensues.

Raf gave Sonny the silent treatment for half of the month. Sonny begged for Raf to say something, but he just either told him to get back to his seat or he'd tell him to start using formalities again. Sonny started to think he and Raf had something special up to this point. He decided to go on a couple dates with a journalism major, Aria. But he couldn't get the recurring thoughts of Rafael all over him out of his mind. Then he remembered the card he was given by Langan.  
.....................................................................  
"You got Trevor Langan's card? And now you're just giving it back?" One of Sonny's classmates asked.

"I think something happened that resulted in Barba no longer talking to me like we did in the beginning." Sonny said. "I just wanna make things right." Raf overheard everything, but still couldn't help but feel jealous of even the young journalism major he was still seeing. That night, he stalked them, watching their date. Every little thing that seemed like nothing-a hand touch, Sonny whispering in Aria's ear, maybe-seemed like something to Rafael and he hated every second. When they finished dinner, Sonny gave Aria the offending card, yet Raf thought it had something to do with yet another date. He followed Sonny home conspicuously in a black mini-van he borrowed from a friend at Manhattan SVU and found his apartment building. Sonny entered alone, but Raf didn't buy it.

Raf asked for Sonny's apartment number and they gave it to him, having had a situation he cleared resulting in their former manager going to jail.

Sonny was reading The Fifth Assailant when a very loud knocking sounded at his door.

"Mr. Barba." Sonny announced when he opened the door to find a very angry Rafael barging in.

"Don't Mr. Barba me, where is she?"

"Who, Aria? You're stalking me now?" Sonny kinda already knew he was being followed. "Look, you wanted to go back to day one and when you did, I was heartbroken. I have feelings for you and have had them since we met. We obviously can't date and you weren't talking to me so I asked Aria out a couple times. But I couldn't continue the fasçade, so I gave her the business card Langan gave me the night we celebrated the Moot Court." Sonny sighed.

"You still took it from him." Rafael grumbled.

"That's because he looked like a possible career opportunity. But if it means I lose talkativity from a man I not only admire but have followed the career of since Rita started talking about you,-" Sonny was cut off by an angry pair of lips. Rafael's tongue mingled with his and they had to cut away, immediately running out of breath.

"Now you're stalking me if you've been following my cases that long." Rafael said after pulling away for air.

"It's certainly not a good color on you. And do I even have to bring up the jealousy?" Sonny asked as Raf turned a small shade of red before telling him to zip it and kissed him again, this time pushing him against the wall as he hastily began to undress him. Sonny would've panicked if he didn't want what Raf was about to do to him. He started working Raf's shirt and Raf undid Sonny's trousers, both men stopping midway to grind against each other's hard lengths. Sonny groaned as Rafael pulled him out and took more care of him manually than he would ever do himself. Sonny told Rafael to stop, took his hand that wasn't busy and walked him into his bedroom. There, once the door was slammed shut, they made out until Raf's legs hit the bed. Sonny pushed Rafael onto the mattress and proceeded to crawl on top of the older man, only to be turned over, a lustful look in Rafael's eyes as Sonny looked up into them.

"What would you like first, Sir." Sonny purred into Rafael's ear.

"Call me Rafael again, thing one. Thing two, I want to enter you first." Rafael growled into Sonny's neck before looking for lube.

"Underwear drawer. It's safest to hide things you don't want people to know about you yet." Sonny said as he directed Rafael to where the lube was. He poured some into his hand and applied it onto himself before teasing Sonny, getting him to relax. Sonny gripped the sheets at how skilled Raf had to be at something like this. Once he was ready, Raf showed no mercy and entered Sonny with such velocity and ferocity, it was for Sonny like the day they met and he was getting even harder.

Faster, harder and deeper was how Rafael went, both men groaning in pleasure and panting as they began to get closer to climax. Rafael frenched Sonny for a good fifteen seconds before eventually, Sonny finally came. Rafael climaxed soon after, then pulled out and began to catch his breath, Sonny still doing so. Holding hands, Sonny finished catching his breath and then found himself straddling Rafael, purring "My turn" into the older man's ear, grabbing the lube from where Raf sat it last.


	5. Folgers can stick it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raf finds a better way to wake up than coffee. *wiggles eyebrows*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate this chapter to Lyssa13 who asked if the smut from Chapter 4 would carry onto the next (this chapter.). Enjoy.

Raf awoke to a bird singing in the window, the sun shining in his face and a warm, wet sensation from down below. He opened his eyes and lifted his head to see that not only was this not HIS apartment, but Sonny was between his legs, giving him treatment he never thought possible. The way his tongue sometimes cradles the shaft, how his vocal flaps almost scrape across his tip, Raf began to grip the sheets and Sonny suddenly stopped when he saw Raf's hands clench. He crawled up the older man and purred against his neck.

"Good morning." Sonny said as he kissed Rafael deeply on the lips.

"Good morning to you too." Rafael said as he lightly growled and kissed the younger student's neck.

"Would you like some coffee? I have three different brands." Sonny offered.

"Screw the coffee. Keep doing what you were doing a couple minutes ago." Rafael said as Sonny continued to pleasure Rafael the way he did earlier. The pleasure was more intense than even last night when Sonny was inside him after being inside Sonny shortly there before. The memory of that summed up with the sweet feeling of Sonny's mouth taking every inch of him was just about enough to make him come then and there. Sonny braced himself when Raf did though, hollowing his cheeks and swallowing every spurt of semen that Raf gushed out of his length. Rafael was out of breath at this point.

"How did you learn how to do that?" Rafael asked when Sonny climbed back over him.

"I've experimented. Mostly with food, but you use what you can when you're Catholic living in a strictly Man-and-Woman traditional household." Sonny explained.

"Well I definitely see why you earned best oralist." Raf gave a cocky smirk, earning a shy blush from Sonny and Rafael began to reciprocate. Since it was the weekend, they pretty much stayed in bed all weekend unless they needed a break to either breathe or rehydrate or even eat.


	6. Back to Rita

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rita comes back and everything goes back to normal out of necessity. Especially when Raf doesn't call Sonny after the return.

All too soon, Rita was back. Raf and Sonny exchanged numbers and Rita noticed something between them right away, something she should've the day she introduced the class to him.

"You have a crush on him." Rita said to Sonny a couple days later while he was studying all he could on the Judicial systems unit.

"You could say that." Sonny didn't miss a beat, still studying while eating his lunch. If only Raf were that dilligent at Harvard, remembering to eat while studying for the unit.

"You know the school board wouldn't frown upon students and professors dating. You're a graduate student anyway, why don't you gove Raf a call? He was just a temporary sub." Rita lightly pushed.

"You really wouldn't mind?" Sonny asked, stopping in the middle of taking the notes.

"Go ahead." Rita said as she went back to eat with other professors. That night, that was exactly what Sonny did. But Raf didn't call back. He waited and waited. He passed the time with getting all his notes done for the Unit and Rita started getting worried. Eventually, Rafael met up with Sonny but to share some rather depressing news.

"Sonny." Raf cheerfully walked into Rita's classroom one day as class was finishing up.

"Raf. You hadn't answered my calls." Sonny said as he embraced him.

"I'm sorry about that, I got kind of distracted." Raf explained as another man popped up from behind Raf.

"Rafael, who's this?" Rita asked as she saw her best friend enter the room with the other gentleman.

"Rita, hi. Just wanted to introduce you to a man I met during a case I was working on recently, George Huang." Raf said, wrapping an arm around George's shoulder.

"Charmed to meet you." George said as he held a hand out to shake Rita's.

"Likewise." Rita said, not noticing that Sonny was standing there slightly confused.

"It was actually the case I was working on that resulted in my inability to get back to Sonny. I'm truly sorry about that, by the way." Raf said as Sonny just said it was okay, quickly finished packing up and just ran out, shouting a quick congratulations and getting out of there as fast as he could. When Rafael and George left, Rita noticed Sonny left an item behind. Luckily, she helped Raf put away the slum lord manager in Sonny's building so they also told her where he lived.

"Sonny?" Rita called. Sonny opened the door with a blanket around him, his eyes red and puffy, as was his nose.

"Oh Professor Calhoun. Come in." Sonny said in a dispondant tone. What brings you here?"

"You dropped your notes on one of the systems we're covering in the unit on your way out and I thought you'd like to have it back before anything bad happened to it." Rita explained. Sonny thanked her and took it from her and just cradled it in his arms before he started to cry again. It had been on and off since Sonny met George.

"Sonny, what's wrong? Is it Rafael's new relationship? Because it threw me for a loop too." Rita tried to comfort her best and favorite student, but Sonny just seemed inconsolable at this point.

"It's not just that, there's more to the story." Sonny started before giving full details to what happened during her vacation.


	7. Hell hath no fury like a mama teacher scorned on behalf of her favorite pupil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rita confronts Raf and a long distance relationship ends amicably yet sourly.

"You spent a weekend with Sonny?" Rita was livid and already hoofing it into Rafael's apartment.

"After you came back, we exchanged numbers but he never called to want to do anything and we were both busy." Raf tried to excuse.

"You still slept with Sonny and never called back when he finally called at MY own personal urging." Rita scolded her best friend. "It's obviously too late here because you're with George and-" Rita paused a moment to take a look around. "Say, where is he?" Rita asked.

"George had to go back to Oklahoma. He used to be an FBI agent and now he consults when needed." Raf said.

"Let me ask you, how satisfying is George compared to how Sonny was?" Rita asked.

"If you really want to know, George and I haven't even done much besides talk and go out to eat." Raf said. "But even if we have, what makes you think a candle would be held to Sonny? You're right, Rita. Sonny's the one.

"Sonny should hear this, not me." Rita said as she told him to come back to the classroom so Sonny WOULD and left with the door slammed. Just as he was about to send something to George, George sent something to him.

"Rafael,

After about a couple days, I couldn't continue this long distance relationship. I met a guy when I was arriving home in Oklahoma and he asked me to dinner, and I had to accept. He probably fits me a little better than you, and I'm sorry to say this. Raf, I think we should stop seeing each other. I'm sorry, Rafael.

George"

Raf didn't know what to do let alone what to say. He responded with a wish good luck and planned what to say to Sonny.  
...............................................................................  
When school opened up the next day, Rita was going over more judicial systems when Raf came in midway and begged Sonny to forgive him.

"I'm REALLY REALLY SORRY!" Raf said as he sat there on his knees.

"No, I don't trust that you are sorry because you wouldn't have introduced that George guy to me right after I tried calling you like FOUR times. You would've made the first call after Professor Calhoun came back from her trip. I WOULDN'T HAVE FELT LIKE A COMPLETE IDIOT WHO FELL FOR A CHEESY MOVE AS YOU STALKING ME THE NIGHT WE STARTED THAT WEEKEND OF ENDLESS SEX THAT Apparently SEEMED LIKE NOTHING TO YOU!" Sonny stormed out of the classroom and Rita tried to coax him back, but once he was already out the door, Rita held his items for him to return and automatically gave him a chance when he was to return to make up what he lost in classtime.  
..............................................................................  
Raf looked for Sonny all night but couldn't find him. Rita called his number too many times to count and when she did hear from, he was drunk. She gave him instructions to Raf's apartment building and because they were afraid of Rita, they let him have Raf's apartment number. Sonny knocked almost as hard as Raf did the first time they had sex and even angrier. He was not too drunk to know what he was doing. But he was drunk enough that his inhibitions were temporarily impaired. Raf opened the door and he was surprised.

"Sonny? Where were you? Please come in." Raf guided him in.

"Don't Sonny me? Where's your George guy?" Sonny asked.

"Are you drunk?" Raf asked when he sat Sonny in a chair.

"Is excravezate a real word?" Sonny asked. Both knew that was a poorly pronounced version of excrete on Bull's part in the pilot episode of Night Court, which was a topic that came up in their post Moot Court drink night.

"Sonny let me get you a coffee or something." Rafael said. He didn't know what to say to Sonny.

"You broke my heart you know. As soon as you introduced George, I went home and I cried. Rita came in and I couldn't keep it all in much longer." Sonny said.

"I'm really sorry, Sonny. I really had feelings for you too. But when I didn't hear back from you, I forgot about your unit and I thought it was because you realized I wasn't all that." Raf said.

"It would never be because of that." Sonny said.

"I know that now." Rafael pulled Sonny in for a kiss and the spark was all there. Sonny pulled sway though.

"What about George?" Sonny asked.

"He dumped me via email." Rafael explained. "It was all gonna be long distance anyway. I realize that he's not really my type. I realize now my type is you, Sonny. I was dumb to try and replace you and it won't happen again." Rafael said as he and Sonny crashed their lips again and Sonny carried Raf into his bedroom for the first time, once of course, Raf told him which doorway it was in first.


	8. Are you and I us?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after again and Sonny's still unsure.

Sonny woke up with a headache, last night flooding in his memory. He remembered making love with Rafael again, but then he remembered Rafael altogether. Sonny called for him and he was worried what happened was a mistake, but then saw the older man, a vision in his Fordham sweatshirt, carrying in a tray of breakfast and a couple Advil.

"Breakfast? I thought you'd need it after you came here drunk last night." Rafael said.

"The hangover is actually starting to weave through my head." Sonny said.

"Rita says she's gonna let you do over yesterday's class lesson. She said you can call her when you can and set up the day and time to come in." Raf assured his young lover.

"I'm sorry about yesterday." Sonny said.

"I'm sorry period." Raf replied as Sonny took the Advil and ate the pancakes Raf prepared. Sonny tried to cut them but they bent the fork and the butter knife ridges fell off onto the plate.

"I'm really sorry." Raf said as Sonny looked at him with the butter knife in his left hand, earning a small laugh from Sonny.

"Breakfast on me instead?" Sonny asked.

"Oh no you don't, Mister. I broke your heart which resulted in you getting drunk to begin with. I'm buying." Raf said as he held Sonny's hand before the latter got out of bed to get dressed.

At the restaurant, the conversation was casual but Sonny couldn't help but be bothered by something.

"Can we really go back to the way things were before Rita came back?" Sonny asked when he was done eating.

"I like to think that." Rafael said as he sipped at his coffee. "Are you afraid?" He stopped to look at Sonny.

"If we were, I don't want to be taken advantage of like I felt I was the day I met George." Sonny lowered his head and Rafael reached across Sonny's side of the table.

"Hey, hey. Look at me. What we had that weekend was more genuine than any night I'd have spent with George. I was actually about to make my choice when George emailed me with news he had a new boyfriend so no major loss. Except the true major loss was you, Sonny." Rafael got out of his side of the booth and kissed Sonny hard. He kissed him deeply and passionately and he kissed him like he loved him, meaning every motion of his lips, jaws and tongue.

"I love you, Sonny Carisi and I'll spend every second of everyday proving that until I stop dead in my tracks." Raf said as he pulled Sonny into his arms and Sonny this time kissed back. They didn't realize people were staring until they remembered they were in a diner because Raf can't cook at all.

"Aw. For that, the meal's on us." The waiter said as he took their dishes, Sonny and Rafael blushing.


	9. Graduation day Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonny passes the bar with flying colors, graduates and Raf celebrates back at his place.

A few days after Sonny's make-up day was done, Rita and Raf supported him through his studies. Like Sonny needed the help but they were there for him just in case. Sonny knocked every test out of the ballpark and finished Top of his class. The only thing left was the Bar Exam. Raf tested him most nights when he wasn't working a case. Rita would go to lunch with Raf to hear progress and Raf'd tell her Sonny'd still had time afterwards to make dinner. Rita smiled and mad a wisecrack.

"It's a good thing that Sonny's probably the chef in the relationship." Rita said laughing.

"Hey you were nice to me when I had to cook for you back at Harvard." Raf said.

"I didn't know how to cook and thought I was getting at least a decent meal. Who burns Ramen noodles?" Rita asked.

"How was I supposed to know they don't cook as long as pasta?" Raf asked back.  
..........................................................................  
The waiting was long and hard. Sonny had taken the exam over a week ago, Raf was sure he did great, it was Sonny.

Sonny was still nervous. He paced back and forth, forced himself into all his learning and focused on all his school work. Eventually, the school board released the scores.

"Sonny, here are your results." Rita said as she handed Sonny the score that determined his path as a lawyer. His heart pounded hard as he opened the envelope and then stopped when he read it.  
...........................................................................  
Sonny ran out after class, the first thing he did was scream and jump up and down so immaturely. He acted like Dan Fielding after Harry gave him the letter of recommendation for a prestigious position with the Brooklyn courthouse. He was pretty much walking on air. Sonny went straight to Raf's apartment when he got there and Raf had dinner waiting for him and everything.

"Raf? Rafael?" Sonny called when he came in.

"Hey." Rafael called out when Sonny found him in the kitchen. He'd been training himself how to be a better cook after the pancake incident and was getting the hang of at least seafood and pasta dishes. "How was class?" Raf asked.

"I passed the Bar." Sonny said as he showed Rafael his results.

"Sonny, that's terrific." Rafael said. "All the more reason to celebrate your weeks of wven further hard work studying."

Sonny pulled Raf in for a kiss and opened a bottle of Rosé and poured himself and Raf a glass. They clinked glasses and did their best to dig in. Mind you this was Raf's first attempt at dinner.

"So, what do you think?" Raf asked as Sonny took the first bite.

"The pasta's a bit too al denté but other than that the shrimp gets better the more you cook it." Sonny said with a bright smile, kissing Raf as he beamed delightfully.


	10. Graduation Day Part 2/Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Sonny graduates, Rafael leaves SVU because can't handle the pressure of not being able to persuade justice to go the way of the victims everytime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I heard Raul left so it's kind of a fix-it in an AU.

When Sonny finished his speech, it was Raf's turn. Raf gave his commencement, a request of Rita since he really was an inspiration to some and looked after Sonny most when she was away. Though there were sour moments.

"Speaking of following your heart," Rafael finished when he left with those words, as of Midnight tonight, I will no longer be Manhattan ADA for the Special Victims' Unit. Everyone dropped their jaws, Sonny dropped his jaw, hat AND diploma.  
.................................................................  
"You can't leave." Sonny said as he barged in, Raf already having given him a key.

"Oh? Why not?" Rafael asked as he got up out of his chair to greet his right now emotional boyfriend.

"You're the only man who I can trust and your replacement? What if I decide to go to work in the DA's office and-" Sonny was cut off by Raf's lips, his warm hands holding his tear-streaked cheeks.

"Come work with me." Rafael said.

"What?" Sonny was confused.

"I'm a hypocrite, Sonny. The victims weren't getting their fair justice. You've read the case reports. Evie Barnes, the case with the tag team rapists and the victim who was a blogger. It gets exhausting. So I needed a change of pace. O'm starting my own defense firm and I want my boyfriend, a trusting, trusted, sweet man just fresh out of Fordham Law, to be my partner." Sonny sniffled, this time tears of joy were flowing from those ducts.

"You're right. You are a hypocrite, Rafael." Sonny started in. Rafael was frowning a little. "But you're my hypocrite and I'll not have you any other way." Sonny said as he kissed Rafael deeply.

"So does that mean-?" Raf was cut of by a shriek of "Of course you idiot!" coming from Sonny as they tripped to the floor, landing in Raf's kitchen and found themselves undressing each other and making love.  
......................................................................  
3 weeks later  
......................................................................  
Their firm was starting off, hiring new lawyers, a couple of them Sonny's classmates, clients loved Sonny and especially were awed when Rafael showed Sonny affection when he was between clients.

"Rafi, you remember Jocelyn. She was recently put on welfare but the guy who handles sending out the checks keeps harrassing her." Sonny explained.

"I'm so sorry to hear that." Rafael said as she shook his hand.

"It's fine. I just need to get back in the groove of things." Jocelyn said as she looked down.

"She told me all about the book deal." Sonny said. Raf looked completely sweet potato orange at that.

"Look, maybe we can talk to your old college professor. Maybe she still doesn't want the liberties. We can figure something out for you." Sonny explained as she held on to that glimmer.

"You really think that?" She asked.

"Absolutely. We can get in contact with her lawyer and the publishing company and we can try and work out a joint savings account. I mean you were just the face of 25 Acts before the Adam Cain trial, so the least we can do is at least have the two of you share it. Especially if she thinks you need it more. Assuming she still thinks that." Sonny explained.

"I'm game." Rafael said as he looked at Sonny like Bugs eying a giant carrot.

At lunch, Sonny and Raf went to the same diner where he professed his love for Sonny all those months ago. They'd given them a permanent discount since everyone thought the declaration was so genuinely sweet.

"I'll have a Mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto panini, please. Side of mushrooms?" Sonny ordered.

"And I'll have a cheeseburger. Fries on the side and can we share a chocolate and coffee milkshake?" Rafael asked.

"Sure thing. Everything's low cost as always." The waitress said as delivered the order to the chef.

"So you think Jocelyn can get liberties back?" Rafael asked.

"Not all of them but we can at least work out a compromise." Sonny said.

"Like marriage." Rafael said.

"I guess something like that. But why make that comparison, babe?" Sonny asked in confusion as the milkshake came out.

"Here's the milkshake, huns. Don't gulp too fast, you might miss something." The waitress winked at Raf and Sonny frowned a little.

"What did she mean and why did she wink at you?" Sonny asked.

"Hmm? Oh, that was nothing. Would you like the cherry this time? I believe it's your turn." Rafael smiled and Sonny got distracted by the marachino cherry on top. Mesmerized by the red ball with the stem, he pulled and inside the cherry was a white gold engagement with a platinum hue.

"Oh my god, Rafi?" Sonny gasped as he saw the ring. He pulled it out of the cherry, licked the bits of cherry and ice cream off and saw the beautiful blue topaz and emerald princess cut and the diner patrons and workers were all eyes on them.

"Sonny, from the first time we connected at the bar, I knew you were the one. But after we ah-" Rafael grew sweet potato orange again, but continued. "-And I met George, I was stupid to try and separate myself from the one man who truly had my heart the day he fell in my best college friend's class, not realizing until now it was because of me he fell." Sonny turned beet red and Raf was sweet potato orange once more at the reveal that Raf could see the boner from Sonny's fall that day.

"What I'm trying to say is this." Raf got down on one knee, took the spit-covered ring, cleaned it off with a napkin and held it up to Sonny.

"Dominick Carisi Jr., will you make me even happier than you have in the short time we've met when we came in and marry me?" Sonny cried happy tears, got up out of his seat in the booth and tackled Raf so he was on his back, kissing him deeply when they were finished, Sonny parted his lips from the older man and smiled. "Does that answer your question?" Sonny asked.

"Depends, was that a yes?" Raf asked as Sonny swatted his shoulder with a giggle.

"Of COURSE!" Sonny got up from on top of Raf as everyone in the diner screamed, squeaed, cheered and everything as Sonny and Rafael kissed, Raf putting the ring on Sonny's finger and they got up to eat their meal.

"Now you get to eat EVERY MEAL free here from now on." The waitress said as she ripped up their receipts. Sonny and Rafael just looked into each other's eyes as they thought about what they'd be doing for the rest of the day, later that night and of course, the rest of their lives.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect chapter 10 to be the final chapter but then I heard about Raul and I thought "It's time." So this is the end. Unless Scanny chose to leave too. We'll have to wait for the Carisi-centric ep to know.


End file.
